Chief Economist, Aletheia Capital

Dr. Jim Walker

Jim Walker is the chief economist at Aletheia Analyst Network Limited, an independent research platform for the Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining Aletheia he was the founder and chief economist at Asianomics Group an economics and strategy research consultancy company formed in late 2007. 

Before establishing Asianomics he was the chief economist at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets. He joined CLSA in late 1991. Over the years Dr Jim achieved numerous ‘best economist’ rankings in the Asiamoney, Institutional Investor and Greenwich surveys of fund managers. In 1995 he wrote about the prospect of Asia being forced off its de facto dollar peg “within the next two-three years”. The Asian Crisis, precipitated by the Thai baht devaluation, began in July 1997.

In recent years he is best known for forecasting the US 2007 downturn and financial sector meltdown in his series of ‘Apocalypse’ reports. He remains deeply sceptical of the prevailing wisdom in central banks’ approach to monetary policy.

Over the years he has also developed an approach to analysing Asian economies based on profit and credit cycles where the importance of investment spending as the driver of economic activity is explained.

Early in his career he worked in his native Scotland as a research fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute for Research on the Scottish Economy, and then at The Royal Bank of Scotland’s Edinburgh headquarters. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree and a doctorate in economics from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Chief Economist

Aletheia Capital's Macro Investment Strategy for 2019

Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle

The Age of Pessimism: Global Politics Turns Sour

Independent and original Asian investment research

Aletheia Capital

Aletheia Capital (HK) Ltd. (previously known as Asianomics) combines the extensive knowledge of its experienced team with technology and regulatory changes to disrupt Global Markets business in Asia. The firm is completely independent with no conflicts of interest either on Investment Banking advisory or Capital Markets execution.

Macroeconomics

<p>While Donald Trump amassed troops along the Mexican border in order to repel the migrant caravan from Honduras, it is really the caravan of policy problems lined up behind him that is more likely to disrupt his presidency. Fiscal promises relating to public-sector pensions, Medicaid and Medicare are set to grow exponentially over the coming years. And then there is the increase in nonfinancial corporate debt since 2010 which has been accumulated during a period of the most distorted capital-pricing in history. When the first wave of renewed economic problems hit all there will be to withstand them is, in the famous words of ex-Fed Chair Janet Yellen, “More of Plan A”. The next time around, and that time is coming soon, it is likely to prove to be a dud.</p>

While Donald Trump amassed troops along the Mexican border in order to repel the migrant caravan from Honduras, it is really the caravan of policy problems lined up behind him that is more likely to disrupt his presidency. Fiscal promises relating to public-sector pensions, Medicaid and Medicare are set to grow exponentially over the coming years. And then there is the increase in nonfinancial corporate debt since 2010 which has been accumulated during a period of the most distorted capital-pricing in history. When the first wave of renewed economic problems hit all there will be to withstand them is, in the famous words of ex-Fed Chair Janet Yellen, “More of Plan A”. The next time around, and that time is coming soon, it is likely to prove to be a dud.

The United States: 2019 Set Fair but Then?